GOPer Leach: Obama's The Genuine Foreign Policy "Realist" Here
The Obama campaign rolled out their new group, "Republicans for Obama," on a conference call with reporters today, and the GOPers on the call offered full-throated endorsements of Barack Obama's approach to foreign policy, while harshly criticizing that of John McCain.
Former GOP Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa, a moderate with a background in foreign policy, sought to describe Obama as the real heir to the internationalist approach of Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.
"In my judgment there's a difference between realism and pseudo-realism," Leach said. "The pseudo-realists believe that we can operate in the world alone, that expanding international law doesn't matter, that things like arms control are false starts."
"You try to work with allies, rather than without them," Leach added. "And that is the kind of realism that I think is common sense to the vast majority of the American people, and that's what Senator Obama is reflecting in so many of his speeches."
Leach's distinction is one that's rarely been drawn in this campaign and is worth pausing over. McCain is a proponent of the foreign policy school of thought that holds that American military power can accomplish literally anything, as long as we have the will to do it. You want to leave Iraq stable, with our troops coming home with "victory" and "honor"? No problem, we'll just stay until it gets done.
Obama, by contrast, has had the temerity to suggest that there are -- gasp! -- perhaps limits to what American military power can accomplish. "Iraq is not going to be a perfect place, and we don't have unlimited resources to try to make it one," Obama said recently.
As Leach said, Obama is the genuine "realist" here.
music to my floppy ears.....good stuff...Rec'd!!
August 12, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
yep music, but I have to ask, couldn't you guys find a more up to date picture of leach, then that painting or whatever medium that is
Devastating McCain Video
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/devastating-mccain-video/
August 12, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Leach is a good guy and an excellent "get" for the campaign.
Could even see him as Veep- damn sight better than Bayh or Nunn.
August 12, 2008 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm definitely for Nunn of the Above.
August 12, 2008 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the basis of my support for Senator Obama. On the big international issues, he 'gets' it. The world isn't perfect, we're not perfect or all-powerful and if we're going to achieve our goals in the world, we have to work with others. It's been the basis of American foreign policy for a long time (with a few hiccups) and it would be a welcome relief to go back to that after the radical Bush doctrine which McCain takes to another even more frightening level.
August 12, 2008 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Same here. Foreign policy was what first attracted me to Sen. Obama in a serious way beyond the whole, "oh, he's new" phase.
August 12, 2008 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
check this out, obama singing never gonna give you up... its hilarious.. obama "rick rolld"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65I0HNvTDH4,
August 12, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
sorry extra comma stuck in the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65I0HNvTDH4
August 12, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are two great quotes coming out of Republicans that the Obama campaign would be wise to consider incorporating into their messaging:
1) this one from Leach on being the foreign policy "realist."
2) Another from the GOP major of Fairbanks, Alaska, that of these two candidates Obama has the "intellectual capacity" necessary.
Both great points.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 12, 2008 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry, but intellectual capacity is just elitist.
August 12, 2008 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lincoln Chafee and Rita Hauser (a national intelligence expert who served in the Bush administration) were also on the call.
August 12, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I sincerely hope these folks will speak at the Convention and are willing to travel across the media waves to discuss their feelings.
August 12, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, can you please tell me when did the term become apart of the political dictionary? I can not recall this term being used before this election.
If there is any one phrase that isnt fit for political language, especially since 1996, is .
its hilarious. Can you imagine Bill Clinton being interviewed at the convention by the MSM and saying he is going to give BO a full-throated endorsement?
August 12, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
hmmmm. yeah, maybe that is a bit dicey.
August 12, 2008 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eh, just as long as it's not a DEEP-throated endorsement. ;)
Seriously- full-throated is a perfectly respectable adjective phrase, meaning something like "enthusiastic and free from reservations".
August 12, 2008 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Republicans for Obama (Obamacans for some) is a powerful element for the general election.
Keep'em coming!
August 12, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
It has been clear for quite a while that Obama is no dreamy idealist, but rather a synthesis of liberal internationalist and hard-nosed realism. A lot of conservative realists are going to support him, because McCain is an alarming escalation of neoconservative cowboyism, and this country, not to mention the world, cannot take any more of it. It results in tragedies like the one that just unfolded in Georgia.
I think a lot can be done by the Obama campaign, especially with the right VP, to stress that a tough-minded but carefully thought-through foreign policy, using alliances not just US treasure, is what we need. Voters' fears can be heightened of McCain as a shoot-from-the-hip guy who uses taunts and snap judgements, and could get us into more unwise wars at very high cost. Women will be especially receptive to this message. But Obama and his VP and surrogates need to actively make the case in clear, bold language.
August 12, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anybody know why Ben Smith is scared shirtless to post much of anything about the georgia-russia thing? It is Clinton campaign headquarters over there.
August 12, 2008 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ben has lost his mojo since the primaries ended. He's had some flashes but generally he doesn't dare stray too far afield from youtube now that he's no longer receiving messages from the clinton mothership.
August 12, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope the Obama campaign uses this group to hammer away at McCain with a bit more repetitive consistency than has been their tendency thusfar.
This issue is a winner for Obama, and it ties in neatly with his economic message as well: "we need our tax dollars here too desperately to send them abroad." Obama has made these connections in the past, but, like so much of his messaging, seems uninterested in reprising it to the extent where it sticks.
August 12, 2008 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Could this be a hint to whom Obama is going to select as VP? I think so. MY gut tells me, Hagee is seriously been considered
August 12, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope you meant Hagel, not the evil Rev Hagee...
August 12, 2008 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Rev. Hagee is under consideration by Sen. McCain.
I think you might be referring to Sen. Chuck Hagel. A good choice on foreign policy, but very conservative on social issues. Of course, most Republicans are. I happen to like Wes Clark.
August 12, 2008 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think Hagel will be accepted by the grass roots, in fact I think there would be a revolt of epic proportions. I think Biden brings a lot of what Hagel would bring (the security gravista) withouht being a social conservative. Of course Biden isn't a Republican, so there wouldn't be the post partisan message there. However Biden has worked a lot with Hagel and Luger on security bills and such.
Outside of Iraq Obama and Hagel have nothing politically in common, and one role of the VP is to carry on the Presidents vision should anything happen to him.
August 12, 2008 2:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
My bad, God forbid Obama choose Hagee. I mean Chuck Hagel
August 12, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
On domestic policy Hagel is pretty much a garden-variety wingnut, whereas Leach is a genuine moderate.
August 12, 2008 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hagel for Sec. of Defense makes certain sense, however Gates probably deserves to be kept on if there could be a working relationship between Obama and Gates. If Gates stays on, maybe Hagel for homeland security...
August 12, 2008 2:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's great. Leach was always one of my favorite Republicans - a throwback to the time before you had to be batshit-crazy as a pre-requisite for running for office as a Republican.
Besides Joementum, how many Democrats are willing to go on the record for McCain? (In Lieberman's case, I use the term 'Democrat' very loosely.)
August 12, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bob Kerrey seems on board. Bill Clinton seems on the fence.
August 12, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, that portrait is awesome. I can't believe Colonel Mustard endorsed Obama!
August 12, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's face it, progressive will be mad if he choose Chuck Hagel but they will come around because they don't want McCain in the office.
August 12, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right on cue, here's McCain doing a radio interview in PA:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/12/mccain-putin-wants-to-restore-the-old-russian-empire/
August 12, 2008 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink